Program helping young adults as they age out of foster care

Amarillo, TX - Thousands of dollars is donated to help area foster children who are aging out of foster care.

The Buckner Bruce Ford Transition Center helps young adults learn how to live independently.

The United Way of Amarillo Canyon recently donated thousands of dollars to the transition center.

The program provides a place where young adults aging out of foster care can find resources, support, computers, and a laundry room.

They receive money management classes and education for living

independently.

This director of the transition center, Terry Thomas, says there is a need in Amarillo for a program like this.

"You know we found that this was an under served population and often times these kids end up homeless and it is hard to get social security card or medicaid or anything when you don't have an address to start working with"

Thomas says when most of the young adults leave foster care, they have very little to transition into adulthood.

The United way of Amarillo and Canyon says this why they chose to donate to the Buckner Bruce Ford Transition Center.

"These kids don't have parents to turn to anymore, so preparing them as best as we can and as best as they can to be able to rely on themselves, rely on some systematic placements, anything that is going to help them is important"

Right now they have around 60 young adults in the transition center.

Thomas says they will need help from the community to expand as they see a growing need.

I believe Amarillo has the capacity for caring for others, if they knew the needs. And it is not that they don't want to work or they expect things to be handed to them. It is just that it is a daunting process to be welcomed to real life.

The $60,000 donation from United Way will be spread out over the next three years.